Ironing press



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IRONING PRESS:

Filed Jun 24, 1941 1o Sheets-Sheet Oct. 13, 1942.

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Oct. 13, 1942. s, E; ALLEY ET AL 2,298,861

IRONING PRESS Filed June 24, 1941 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 13, 1942.

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Oct. 13; 1942. v s, E, ALLEY HA 2,298,861

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' Oct. 13, 1942. ALLEY ET 2,298,861

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Oct. 13, 1942. s; E. ALLEY EI'AL IRONING PRESS Filed June 24; 1941 10 sheis-sheet 1o Patented Oct. 13, 1942 IRONING PRESS Stephen Evans. Alley, Christopher Stanley Gardner, and England Stephen Eric Alley,

Shrewsbury,

Application, June 24, 1941, Serial No. 399,572 In Great Britain March 28, 1940 13 Claims.

This application corresponds to the applications of Stephen Evans Alley, Christopher Stanley Gardner and Stephen Eric Alley, Serial No. 4293/41, filed in Great Britain March 28, 1940, Serial No. 14,938/40, filed in Great Britain Cotober 7, 1940, and Serial No. 5,442/ l1, filed in Great Britain April 28, 1941.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to ironing presses and is concerned with presses of the type comprising a movable pressing head which is brought into and out of operative position in which it presses articles placed between it and a co-operating buck. The invention has for one of its objects to enable the ironing pressure to be controlled.

According to the primary feature of the present invention, there is provided an ironing press of the type above described comprising the combination with the head and buck, of a fluidpressure-operated piston for operating the movable head and connected to the junction of two links of a toggle, the other ends of which links are connected respectively to an arm carrying the movable head and to an anchorage in such manner that the head and buck are brought together and the ironing pressure applied by the piston moving the links towards their straightline setting, and means for varying the ironing pressure by varying the setting of the head or the buck in its mounting in relation to the other member in the direction to vary the timing of the stallingof the piston pressure in relation to the movement of the toggle links towards their straight-line setting. The aforesaid piston is employed to apply the ironing pressure, and it may also be employed to return the movable head out of operative position. It will be understood that ironing is being effected while the piston pressure is stalled and that, in accordance with the well-known changing mechanical advantage afiorded by toggle linkage, as the toggle links approach their straight-line setting with the head in ironing position, the pressure developed between the head and buck increases very rapidly. This pressure is more than the piston pressure and if it were not to be controlled, too much pressure might be applied to the articles being pressed and the pressure might even be such as to damage parts of the press, though the latter will usually have enough inherent spring in its component parts to prevent them being damaged. When the piston pressure is stalled, movement of the toggle links towards their straight-line setting ceases. Thus by varying the setting of the buck in its mounting the piston pressure can be stalled at any selected relative angular setting of the toggle links. For instance, it could be ensured that the links do not take a setting in which they subtend a greater angle than It is thus possible to control the actual ironing pressure of the press.

Conveniently the movable head is carried on a pillar so set in the carrying arm as to be ad justa'ble therein to vary the setting of the said head in the arm in the direction along the length of the path of movement of the movable head towards the other buck. A universal joint may be provided between the pillar and the head to enable the latter to take a proper seating against the co-operating buck during ironing, and to prevent excessive movement of the head on this universal joint an interengaging pin and slotted guide carried by the movable head and the arm may be provided.

It is useful for the operator to know the pressure being developed between the head and buck and it is therefore a feature of the invention to provide a visual indicator which is operatively connected to the toggle links to move therewith, as the latter move towards their straight-line setting, in such manner as to indicate the ironing pressure as measured by the angle subtended by the toggle links. This indicator may be operated by the connecting rod which connects the piston to the toggle and the indicator may comprise a rotary pointer connected by a crank-arm to an endwise-slidable rod which moves with the toggle links as the latter move towards their straightline setting. The arrangement of the parts may be such that the piston connecting rod oscillates in its reciprocatory movement, and this oscillatory movement may be employed to cause the piston connecting rod to establish connection with the endwise-slidable rod as the toggle links are approaching their straight-line setting. For this purpose the piston connecting rod and the endwise-slidable rod may be provided with abutments between which engagement is established and broken during the oscillatory movement of the connecting rod.

As a, safety measure it is a feature of the present invention to arrange that the fluid pressure on the piston is controlled by a release valve which is operated to release the pressure when the toggle links have reached a selected setting through which they must pass before reaching their straight-line setting. There may be a valve-operating member controlling the release valve, which valve-operating member is so located as to be engaged by a part moving with the piston when the toggle links have reached the said selected setting.

As an additional or alternative safety device there may be provided a limit stop which is so located as to be engaged by a part moving with the piston in that movement which causes the toggle links to approach their straight-line setting, and when so engaged positively precludes further movement of the toggle links in the said direction. If this limit stop is employed in conjunction with the aforesaid operating member for the release valve, the limit stop may be so located in relation to the operating member as only to come into operation after the release valve has been operated to release the fluid pressure from the piston.

The aforesaid release valve-operating member may be adjustable in the direction to vary the said selected setting of the toggle links at which the pressure is released, and the limit stop may be adjustable in the direction to vary the setting of the toggle links at which it positively precludes their further movement towards their straightline setting.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that to vary the ironing pressure, the setting of either the head or the buck in its mounting has to be changed. In some circumstances it may be convenient to do this when the movable head is in its fully raised position. If, however, it is preferred to make the adjustment when the head is lowered, for instance because this movement brings the head into a more accessible position near the front of the press, and without shutting off the supply of pressure to the piston, it will be advantageous, and is a feature of the invention, to provide a limit stop in the form of a movable abutment which is carried on the press in such manner that it can be readily brought into and out of operative position in which it can be engaged by a part of the mechanism by which the piston is connected to the movable head. The arrangement would be such that when so engaged, the movable abutment positively precludes the movable head from approaching to within less than a predetermined distance from the cooperating buck. This will prevent such pressure being developed between the head and buck, and transmitted thence to the adjusting mechanism, as would render it difiicult or impossible for the operator to change, to the desired extent, the setting of the head or buck in its mounting. Conveniently,the movable abutment takes the form of a hinged bail.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, there will now be described, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, certain constructional forms of ironing press according to the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not restricted to the precise constructional details set forth.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ironing press with certain of the parts of the frame removed and with the movable head shown in full lines in inoperative position and in chain lines in a setting close to its operative position;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 22 of Figure 4, showing the movable head in operative position;

Figure 3 is a detail elevation looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the press with the parts in the position shown in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a detail view, partly in section on the line 55 of Figure 2, on a scale larger than that of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a detail view, partly in section, corresponding to a part of Figure 2, but on a scale larger than that of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view, corresponding to another part of Figure 2, but on a scale larger than that of Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a detail plan View on a scale larger than that of Figures 1-4;

Figure 9 is a sectional elevation on the line 9-9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a sectional elevation of the operators control valve, on a scale larger than that of Figures 1-4;

Figure 11 is a plan view of the parts shown in Figure 10 with the upper part of the finger guard removed;

Figure 12 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Figures 10 and 11;

Figure 13 is a section on the line l3-|3 of Figure 11;

Figure 14 is a view corresponding to Figure 7 but showing a modified construction and with certain of the parts in alternative settings;

Figure 15 is a front elevation of certain of the parts shown in Figure 14, and

Figure 16 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 15, showing alternative settings corresponding to those of Figure 14.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

The press comprises a box-shaped frame having a removable front access plate 15, a removable rear access plate It and side cheeks l7 and 18, which latter are stiff and form part of the permanent structure. Supported by the frame towards the front thereof is an upstanding spigot I over which there is slid a tubular pillar I9 carrying at its upper end the buck 26. The spigot I99 is bolted to the main frame by bolts I9! and the pillar [9 may be locked in position on the spigot Hill by a set-screw (not shown). The pillar may mereby be intended to swivel on the spigot when the set-screw is freed, or there may be provision for height adjustment of the pillar on the spigot. The buck 29 may be heated by steam supplied through a pipe 2|. Secured between the side cheeks I1 and 13 of the frame is a spindle 22 on which is pivoted a composite arm for the movable pressing head 23. This composite arm comprises side plates 24 and 25 which at their lower ends are pivoted upon the spindle 22 and at their upper ends are joined by a head 26 which is bored and screwthreaded to receive a screwed pillar 286 by which the pressing head 23 is connected to the arm. This screwed pillar 260 lies in such a position that its lower end is directed towards the buck 26 throughout the swinging movement of the arm. The pillar 260 has a hand wheel 26l at its upper end and a lock nut 262 to retain it in any chosen setting in the arm and it will be appreciated that by screwing the pillar up or down in the arm the setting of the head 23 in the arm will be varied in the direction along the length of the path of movement of the head 23 towards the buck 2B. The lower end of the screwed pillar 260 carries part of a universal joint whereof the other part is carried on the upper part of the pressing head 23. The universal joint shown takes the form of a ball-andsocket joint, the ball 263 being carried on the pillar 260 and the socket 264 carried on the upper part of the head 23. This socket 264 is internally screwthreaded to receive two seating members 265 and 266 which house between them the ball 253, and the upper seating member 265 is tubular with its inner walls spaced away from the pillar 269 so as to permit the head 23 to rock on the pillar. The space between the pillar 269 and the upper seating member 255 may conveniently receive a resilient packing 25'! and to prevent undue movement of the head 23 about the ball-and-socket joint, the socket 234 has a laterally projecting fork 258 between the legs of which there reaches a pin 2'69 carried by the arm. Thus the head 23 is allowed to move within limits relatively to the buck arm so as to take a proper seating upon the buck 20. The head 23 may be heated by steam supplied through a pipe 31. The steam may be discharged from the buck 29 and head 23 through pipes which are not shown but are similar to the pipes 2| and 31. These discharge pipes are preferably connected to a steam trap.

Situated between the side cheeks l1 and I9 of the frame is a pressure cylinder 21 formed with brackets 28 and 29 whereby it is secured to the cheeks and whereby it helps to brace the frame. If, as may be advantageous but is not essential, the fluid pressure in the cylinder 21 is employed both to bring the pressing head 23 into operative position and to return it out of operative position, the cylinder may conveniently be made of two diameters and receive within the larger part a piston 32 and within the smaller part a trunk 33 reaching from the piston. This will permit the full diameter of the piston head to be used for bringing the pressing head 23 into ironing position and the annular space created between the trunk 33 and the walls of the larger part of the cylinder 21 to be used for returning the head 23 into inoperative position. This arrangement, however, is not essential to the carrying out of the present invention.

Pivoted in the piston head 32 and reaching through the trunk 33 is a connecting rod 36 which is joined to the pressing head arm by a toggle linkage. This toggle linkage comprises an upper and a lower link pivoted together whereof the former is also pivoted to the connecting rod 35 and to the arm and the lower link is anchored between the cheeks I! and I8 of the main frame.

The parts are so disposed that when the piston moves the toggle linkage in the direction to cause it to approach its straight-line setting (Figure 2) the pressing head 23 is brought into ironing po- 7 sition.

Referring more particularly to Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that the upper link comprises arms 38 and 39 formed integral with barrels 49 and 4|. The barrel 49 is received between bushes 42 and 43 carried respectively by the side plates 24 and 25 of the pressing head arm, and reaching right through the barrel 49 and the bushes 42 and 43 is a tube 44 or a solid bar with bushes constituting a spindle whereby the upper link is pivotally connected to the arm. The brackets 28 and 29 reach towards the cylinder 2'! to embrace the end of the connecting rod 36 (see particularly Figure and reaching through these parts is a tube 45 or a solid bar with bushes which affords pivotal connection between the upper link and the connecting rod. The barrel 4| of the upper link is received between brackets. 43 and 41 in the lower link and a tube 48 or a solid bar with bushes reaching through these parts serves as a pivotal connection between the upper and lower links. The lower link also comprises a barrel 49 formed integral with the brackets and4'l. This barrel is received between bushes 50 and 5| carried by the cheeks l1 and [8 of the frame of the press, and a strut 52, which may be a tube or a solid bar with bushes, reaches through these parts in such manner as to be secured to the side cheeks I1 and I8 and serve both to pivot the lower link in the frame of the press and to brace the latter. It will be understood that as the piston head 32 reciprocates in the cylinder 21 the toggle linkage just described will move between the settings shown in Figures 1 and 2 and correspondingly move the head 23.

Compressed air is employed to operate the piston 32 and is delivered by a pipe 53 to the front of the machine where an operators control valve (hereinafter described) is located. The casing of this valve is shown at 54. A pipe 55 connects this valve to the larger end of the cylinder 21 and serves both to supply compressed air to the larger end of the cylinder and to permit its exhaust therefrom. If the aforesaid trunk piston is employed, the main supply pipe 53 has a branch I91 leading to the aforesaid annular space formed between the piston trunk and the walls of the larger part of the cylinder 21 and serves both to supply compressed air to this annular space and to exhaust it therefrom, the annular space being always open to the interior of the feed pipe 53. By a suitable manipulation of his control valve the operator can admit compressed air to the larger end of the cylinder 21 to bring thepressing head into ironing position and during this movement of the parts the air in the aforesaid annular space will be expelled back into the feed pipe 53. When the ironing operation is completed the operator will manipulate the control valve in such a way as to permit the air from the larger end of the cylinder 21 to be exhausted back into the control valve casing, whereupon compressed air already in and more air entering the aforesaid annular space will return the head 23 into inoperative position.

It will be appreciated that when the head 23 is being pressed against the co-operating buck 29 the piston 32 will continue to try to force the links of the toggle towards their straight-line setting but there will be a point at which the piston pressure will be stalled. By adjusting the height of the buck 20 on its spigot I or by adjusting the setting of the head 23 in its buck arm, the setting of the toggle links at which this stalling occurs can be varied. The more nearly the toggle links approach to their straightline setting, the greater the pressure is between the head and buck. The ironing of some articles requires a greater pressure than the ironing of others. Moreover, some articles to be ironed are thicker than others. The operator will, therefore, modify the buck or head setting according to circumstances in order to choose a suitable upper limit for the pressure. If he chooses such an adjustment that the stalling occurs when the two links of the toggle subtend a relatively small angle, the pressure between the head and buck will be less than if he chooses an adjustment as the result of which the stalling only occurs when the toggle links approach more nearly towards their straight-line setting.

Figures 10-13 show the construction of the operators control valve which, however, does not form part of the present invention and is only described herein in order that the operation of the press may be understood. The casing 54, already mentioned, of this valve is mounted on the downwardly-turned rim 64 of a table 65 at the front of the press under the buck 20. The casing 54 is bored from top to bottom and the lower end is closed by a screwed plug 60. A boss 61 on the casing receives the end of the aforesaid pipe 53 and another boss 68 receives the end of the aforesaid pipe 55. Opposite to the end of the pipe 55 there is a constriction in the bore in the casing 54 and this constriction is fitted with a liner 00. The lower end of this liner is shaped to serve as a seat to be engaged by a ball valve I which is pressed upwardly by a spring II housed in a recess in the plug 60. When the ball I0 is on its seat it prevents the passage of compressed air from the pipe 53. The upper end of the liner 69 has an outturned flange I2 which abuts on a shoulder in the bore in the casing 54. Above the liner E0 is a valve stem I3 and a valve I4. The valve I4 has an extension I5 reaching down to the ball valve I0 and at the neck of this extension there is a conical surface I6 which is intended to seat against the end of the bore. of the liner 00. When in this position it closes communication between the pipe 55 and a lateral exhaust port 11 in the casing 54. This port leads into an exhaust silencer I8 whereof the walls are suitably perforated. The opposed faces of the stem 73 and valve III are recessed to house a spring I0 by which the stem I3 may press the valve l0 against the upper end of the liner 69. The upward pressure of the spring H is reinforced by the pressure of the air in the pipe 53. The stem I3 is laterally bored to receive a relatively small cross pin 80 secured in the casing 50. This pin limits the longitudinal movement of the stem I3. The upper end of the stem I3 has pivoted to it by a pin 91 an arm 0|, the clearance indicated at 82 in Figure enabling the arm 85 to tilt through a substantial angle with respect to the stem I3. This arm is semi-circularly cut away at 83 and 84 to clear pins 05 and 83 secured in cheeks 81 and 88 upstanding from the valve casing 54. These pins 85 and 80 serve respectively as pivots for two finger levers 89 and 90. The finger lever 89 is bifurcated to form two legs 9| and 92 which receive the pin 35, and the finger lever 90 is similarly bifurcated to form two legs 93 and 00 which receive the pin 00. Cross pins 95 and 96 carried respectively by the finger levers 89 and 90 are adapted to engage the upper surface of the arm 8!. If both finger levers 89 and 00 are depressed the stem I3 will in turn be depressed and thus cause the valve I4 to move the ball valve I0 off its seat. A downwardly-directed channel-shaped guard plate 98 is fitted over the finger levers 89 and 90 to prevent accidental depression of these finger levers, or depression by one hand only.

The stem I3 has a circumferential recess 99 lying opposite to a short catch rod I00. This rod I00 is mainly cylindrical and is housed in a cylindrical hole in the casing 54. The longitudinal axis of this hole is so placed in regard to the stem I3 that the rod I00 has to be cut away to accommodate the stem I3. When, however, the stem 13 is sufiiciently depressed to bring its recess 99 opposite to the rod I00 the latter can rotate into the recess 09 and thus prevent longitudinal movement up or down of the stem I3. In this depressed position the stem I3 will be causing the extension I5 to hold the ball valve I0 off its seat. The rod I00 reaches at both ends to the outside of the casing 50. At one end it carries a pin I0! to which is attached one end of a spring I02, the other end of which is anchored to a pin I03 reaching out from the lower end of the valve casing. This spring tends to rotate the rod I00 in the counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 10, so as to turn the rod I00 into engagement with the recess 99 when the stem I3 has been suitably depressed by the operator. The other end of the rod I00 has attached to it a finger lever I04 with a tail piece I05 which latter is adapted to come to rest against a pin I06 reaching out from the valve casing. By means of the finger lever I 04 the operator can rotate the rod I00 against the pull of the spring I02 so as to bring the rod I00 into the position in which it will release the stem I3 and permit it to return to the upper limit of its longitudinal travel, but the pin I00 will prevent the operator from depressing the lever I00 sufiiciently far to bring the upper part of the rod I00, as seen in Figure 10, into engagement with the recess 99.

As stated above, it is desirable that the operator should be given a visual indication of the pressure being developed between the head and buck. For this purpose there is mounted towards the front of the machine, near the control valve casing 54, an indicator casing 300 enclosing a pointer 30I moving over a scale card 302 (see Figures 8 and 9). The pointer 30I is carried upon the upper end of a spindle 303 supported in the casing 300 and the lower end of the spindle has a crank-arm 304 which is connected to an endwise-slidable rod 305 which reaches rearwardly into the interior of the press frame where it is guided in a bearing 306 (see Figures 1 and 2). The rod 305 has two abutments 301 and 308 on it situated one on each side of the bearing 300, these abutments being so spaced as to afford all the necessary endwise travel of the rod 305. A spring 309, tending to zeroise the pointer, is interposed between the bearing 306 and the abutment 301. The rearward extremity of the rod 305 has a head 3"], and the rod 305 on the forward side of this head 3H] is arranged to be embraced by a fork 3H upstanding from the piston connecting rod 36 (see Figures 1, 2 and 7). The fork 3H embraces the rod 305 in such manner as to be able to engage the forward side of the head 3I0 during the movement of the connecting rod 305. The latter oscillates as well as reciprocates and its oscillatory movement is arranged to bring the fork 3II into position to embrace the rod 305 and engage the head 3I0 thereon, and to take it out of that position again. The engagement between the fork 3H and the head 3I0 occurs while the toggle links are moving towards their straight-line setting and as these links are coupled to the piston connecting rod 36 and the movement of the latter directly affects the relative setting of the two links of the toggle, it will be appreciated that the movement of the pointer 30! effected by the fork 3 on the piston connecting rod 35 will be a measure of the angle subtended by the links of the toggle and therefore a measure of the pressure between the bucks 20 and 23, for the reasons already explained.

The aforesaid scale card 302 as shown, has three concentric arcuate scales 3I2, 3E3 and 3M upon it and there are three differently coloured patches 3I5, 3I0 and 311 on the pointer 30I so placed as to move one over each of these scales. These three scales are provided to cover the contingency that the air pressure supply may be kept standard at any one of three diiferent pressures, for instance 70 lbs. per square inch, 85 lbs. per square inch and 100 lbs. per square inch. The operator would be able to ascertain which standard pressure was in operation by inspecting a pressure gauge (not shown) in the supply main and would thus know to which of the three scales 3I2, 3I3 and 314 he should direct his attention, the scales being marked to indicate their allocation to the respective standard pressures. The scales shown are marked '10, 85 and 100 in the order of their distance from the pivot of the pointer.

The graduations on the scales preferably indicate the total loading on the pressing head arm, say in lbs., not lbs. per square inch, because different head areas may be in operation.

It is not essential to employ three scales as in some circumstances there may not be three difierent standard pressures. If there are only two standard pressures, then there could be only two corresponding scales. Alternatively a single scale could be used, graduated according to an assumed average mains pressure.

To prevent undue pressure being exerted between the buck and head 23, a release Valve may be provided which, when operated, will permit the compressed air to exhaust from the larger end of the cylinder 21 no matter what the setting of the operators control valve may be. This release valve may conveniently be housed in the downturned channel of a bracket 320 (Figures 1, 2 and 7) carried by the frame of the press. The sides of the channel are bored and screwthreaded in alignment to receive two cylindrical plugs 32! and 322 of the same diameter, the adjacent ends of which are spaced apart. Screwed upon these two opposed ends so as to be supported thereby within the channel is a valve casing 323 which has a lateral exhaust port 324 located opposite to and communicating with the space between the adjacent ends of the two plugs 32| and 322.

The valve casing 323 is also laterally bored at aposition intermediate the ends of the plug 322 and is there connected to a pipe 325 leading to the larger end of the cylinder 21. When air is to be exhausted from the latter it will pass along this pipe 325 to the casing 323 and thence pass out through the aforesaid exhaust port 324 in this casing, to permit which, the plug 322 is hollow and its interior is connected, through a port 326 in its forward end, to the exhaust port 324.. The rearward rim of the port 326 is shaped as a valve seat to co-operate with a ball valve 321 located in the interior of the plug 322. This ball 321 is controlled. by a spring 323 projecting from a socket 329 screwed into the rearward end of the plug 322, and the ball 321 will normally be maintained on its seat both by the spring 328 and by the pressure of the air in the exhaust pipe 325 and, will prevent exhaust taking place. However, the ball 321 can be moved from its seat by a push. rod 333 which reaches rearwardly through the port 326, not being a close fit therein, and also reaches forwardly through a closely fitting bore in the plug 32| to the forward end of the latter where it has screwed upon it an adjustable head 33L. The latter reaches clear of the forward face of the plug 32l and it is located in such a position. that it will be engaged by a part of the toggle linkage when the latter is approaching a straight-line setting of the links. This engagement will cause the push rod 330 to force the ball valve 321 off its seat and thus open the larger end of the cylinder 21 to exhaust, thereby preventing further travel of the piston 32.

By screwingthe head 331 in or out upon the push rod 330 the setting of the toggle links at which the exhaust takes place can be changed.

It will be understood that this release valve is a safety device and is intended to prevent dam-' age to the articles being ironed or to the parts of the press itself. The plug 32I aforesaid also forms a safety device and may be used as such even though the release valve is not provided, in which case a single set-screw 332 could replace the plugs 32I and 322 as shown in Figure 14. The plug 32! (or the set-screw 332 just mentioned) constitutes a limit stop which if engaged by the toggle links will positively preclude any further movement of them towards their straightline setting. The plug 321, or the set-screw 332,

can be screwed forwards and backwards in the channel bracket 320 which carries it so as to adjust its setting, and a lock nut (333 Figure '1 and 334 Figure 14) is provided for retaining it in place. Where, as in Figure 7, the release valve is provided, the setting will be such that the forward.

face of the plug 32! will not be engaged by the toggle linkage until after the head, 33I of the push rod 330, controlling the ball valve 321 aforesaid, has been engaged by the toggle linkage and the release valve operated.

If a movable abutment, as mentioned above, is provided to facilitate adjusting the setting of the buck or head mounting, this may take the form, shown in Figures 14-16, of a ball having two parallel arms 335 by which it is hinged to the press frame and a cross piece 336 which joins the outer ends of the arms 335 and, when the ball is swung downwardly into operative position as shown in full lines in Figure 14, is intended to be engaged by a part of the toggle linkage when the latter is approaching a straight-line setting. The arms 335 of the bail are secured to a spindle 331 which is supported at one end in a lug 338 upstanding from the bracket 32!] and at the other end in the side cheek 11 of the press frame. It reaches through the cheek l1 to receive an arm 339 attached to a rod 340 which extends towards the front of the press to a position convenient to the operator, so that the latter by manipulating the rod 340 can readily move the bail either into its operative position, shown in full lines in Figure- 14, or into its inoperative position, shown in chain lines in that figure. A spring 341, coiled around the rod 331, may be provided to tend to move the bail into its inoperative position. The bail can be readily swung into and out of operative position and can be used if desired in conjunction with a release valve and/or with a limit stop as just described. The bail may be so arranged in relation to these other parts that when it is in operative position it operates before either of the other parts can operate. For this purpose, as shown in Figure 14, the bail is so arranged that, when in operative position, it reaches into a masking position in front of the setscrew 332.

The operation of the press may be described as follows: Since the annulus formed by the trunk 33 and the cylinder 21 is always open to the pipe 53 the compressed air will tend to maintain the head .23 in the position shown in full lines in Figure 1. When the operator has spread an article on the buck 20 ready for ironing, he places one finger from each hand inside the guard 38 and depresses both of the finger levers 89 and 93. This causes the extension 15 to open the ball -valve 10 and permit compressed air to enter the pipe 55 and reach the larger end of the cylinder 21, thus moving the head 23 into the position sure. As the stem 13 is thus depressed by the operator the rod I will turn automatically into the recess 39 and hold the stem 13 depressed and thus keep the ball valve open. In this position of the parts, the compressed air operating against the left-hand side of the piston head 32, as seen in Figure 5, overcomes the pressure of the compressed air acting in the annular space formed by the piston head 32 and the trunk 33. When the ironing is finished, the operator depresses the lever I94 whereupon the parts 13 and 14 move upwardly, shutting oiT the pipe 53 from the pipe 55 and opening the latter to the exhaust port 11. This will exhaust the compressed air from the larger end of the cylinder 21 and permit the compressed air acting in the aforesaid annular space to return the head 23 to the position shown in full lines in Figure 1.

If the ironing pressure requires adjustment, a need which the operator will be able to see by inspecting the pointer 31H, he brings the bail 335, 336 into the position shown in full lines in Figure '7 and then, by operation of his control valve, brings the head 23 down into the position shown in chain lines in Figure 1 in which the bail holds it clear of the buck but accessible from the front of the machine. He can then readily adjust the head setting as necessary. The head 23 will be maintained in the chain line position, Figure 1, by the air pressure until the control valve is manipulated again to return it to the full line position, Figure 1. The bail is then returned, either automatically by the spring 34!, or by hand, to its inoperative position as shown in chain lines in Figure 14. This figure shows in full lines the position of the toggle when the head 23 is in the chain line position, Figure 1. The chain line position of the toggle in Figure 14 is the setting beyond which the limit stop 332 precludes further movement of the toggle towards its straight-line setting.

In the position shown in Figure '7, the toggle has caused the rod 330 to open the release valve and thus prevent the application of further pressure to the piston 32 in the direction to press the head 23 against the buck 23. If, however, the toggle does move slightly nearer its straightline setting it will encounter the limit stop constituted by the plug 32 I.

It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the precise constructional details set forth.

We claim:

1. An ironing press comprising the combination with a movable pressing head and a co-operating buck of an arm constituting a mounting for the movable head, a mounting for the co-operating buck, a fiui'd-pressure-operated piston for operating the movable head, a toggle, a toggle anchorage, a connecting rod connecting the piston to the junction of the toggle links, means connecting the other ends of the toggle links respectively to the said pressing head arm and anchorage in such manner that the head and buck are brought together and the ironing pressure applied by the piston moving the links towards their straight-line setting, means for varying the ironing pressure between the head and buck by varying the setting of one of said members in its mounting in relation to the other said member in the direction to vary the timing of the stalling of the piston pressure in relation to the movement of the toggle links towards their straightline setting, a visual pressure indicator, and

shown in Figure 2 and applying the ironing pres means connecting said indicator to the'piston con-- nesting rod to move with the toggle links as the latter move towards their straight-line setting, in such manner as to indicate the ironing pres-' sure as measured by the angle subtended by the toggle links.

2. An ironing press comprising the combina-' tion with a movable pressing head and a co-op'-' erating buck of an arm constituting a mounting for the movable head, a mounting for the cooperating buck, a fluid-pressure-operated piston for operating the movable head, a toggle, a tuggle anchorage, means connecting the piston to the junction of the toggle links and connectin the other ends of the toggle links respectively to the said pressing head arm and anchorage in suchmanner that the head and buck are brought together and the ironing pressure applied by the piston moving the links towards their straightline setting, means for varying the ironing pressure between the head and buck by varying the setting of one of said members in its mounting in relation to the other said member in the direction to vary the timing of the stalling of the piston pressure in relation to the movement of the toggle links towards their straight-line setting, an indicating pointer, a pivot for said pointer, a crank arm on said pivot, an endwise-slidable rod, means connecting said endwise-slidable rod to said crank arm, and means operatively connecting said endwise-slidable rod to the tog gle links to move with the latter as they move towards their straight-line setting.

3. An ironing press comprising the combination with a movable pressing head and a cooperating buck of an arm constituting a mount-- ing for the movable head, a mounting for the co-operating buck, a fluid-pressure-operated piston for operating the movable head, a toggle, a toggle anchorage, a connecting rod connecting the piston to the junction of the toggle links in such manner that during the reciprocation of the piston the connecting rod both reciprocates and oscillates, means connecting the other ends of the toggle links respectively to the said pressing head arm and anchorage in such manner that the head and buck are brought together and the ironing pressure applied by the piston moving the links towards their straight-line setting, means for varying the ironing pressure be tween the head and buck by varying the setting of one of said members in its mounting in relation to the other said member in the direction to vary the timing of the stalling of the piston pressure in relation to the movement of the toggle links towards their straight-line setting, a visual pressure indicator, an indicating pointer, a pivot for said pointer, a crank arm on said pivot, an endwise-slidable rod, means connecting said endwise-slidable rod to said crank arm, and means whereby the oscillatory movement of the piston connecting rod establishes connection between the connecting rod and said endwise-slidable rod as the toggle links are approaching their straight line setting.

4. An ironing press comprising the combination with a movable pressing head and a co-operating buck of an arm constituting a mounting for the movable head, a mounting for the cooperating buck, a fluid-pressure-operated piston for operating the movable head, a toggle, a toggle anchorage, a connecting rod connecting the piston to the junction of the toggle links in such manner that during the reciprocation of the piston the connecting rod both reciprocates and oscillates, means connecting the other ends of the toggle links respectively to the said pressing head arm and anchorage in such manner that the head and buck are brought together and the ironing pressure applied by the piston moving the links towards their straight-line setting, means for varying the ironing pressure between the head and buck by varying the setting of one of said members in its mounting in relation to the other said member in the direction to vary the timing of the stalling of the piston pressure in relation to the movement of the toggle links towards their straight-line setting, a visual pressure indicator, an indicating pointer, a pivot for said pointer, a crank arm on said pivot, an endwise-slidable rod, means operatively connecting said endWise-slidable rod to said crank arm, and abutments on. the connecting rod and said endwise-slidable rod which abutments are so situated that engagement between them to cause the piston to move said endwise-slidable rod is established and broken during the oscillatory movement of the connecting rod.

5. An ironing press comprising the combination with a movable pressing head and a co-operating buck of an arm constituting a mounting for the movable head, a mounting for the cooperating buck, a fluid-pressure-operatedpiston for operating the movable head, a toggle, a toggle anchorage, means connecting the piston to the junction of the toggle links and connecting the other ends of the toggle links respectively to the said pressing head arm and anchorage in such manner that the head and buck are brought together and the ironing pressure applied by the piston moving the links towards their straightline setting, means for varying the ironing pressure between the head and buck by varying the setting of one of said members in its mounting in relation to the other said member in the direction to vary the timing of the stalling of the piston pressure in relation to the movement of the toggle links towards their straight-line setting, a release valve controlling the fluid pressure on thepiston, and means whereby said valve is operated to release the pressure when the toggle links have reached a selectedsetting through which they must pass before reaching their straight-line setting.

6. An ironing press comprising the combination with a movable pressing head and a co-operating buck of an arm constituting a mounting for the movable head, a mounting for the co-opcrating buck, a fiuid-pressurewperated piston for operating the movable head, a toggle, a toggle anchorage, means connecting the piston to the junction of the toggle links and connecting the other ends of the toggle links respectively to the said pressing head arm and anchorage in such manner that the head and buck are brought together and the ironing pressure applied by the piston moving the links towards their straight-line setting, means for varying the ironing pressure between the head and buck by varying the setting of one of said members in its mounting in relation to the other said member in the direction to vary the timing of the stalling of the piston pressure in relation to the movement of the toggle links towards their straight-line setting, a release valve controlling the fluid pressure on the piston. and a valve-operating member controlling the release valve, which valve-operating member is so located as to be engaged by a part moving with the piston when the toggle links have reached a selected setting through which they must pass before reaching their straight-line setting.

7. A-ironing press comprising the combination with a movable pressing head and a co-operating buck of an arm constituting a mounting for the movable head, a mountin for the co-operating buck, a fiuid-pressure-operated piston for operating the movable head, a toggle, a toggle anchorage, means connecting the piston to the junction of the toggle links and connecting the other ends of the toggle links respectively to the said pressing head arm and anchorage in such manner that the head and buck are brought together and the ironing pressure applied by the piston moving the links towards their straightline setting, means for varying the ironing pressure between the head and buck by varying the setting of one of said members in its mounting in relation to the other said member in the direction to vary the timing of the stalling of the piston pressure in relation to the movement of the toggle links towards their straight-line setting, and a limit stop which is so located as to be engaged by a part moving with the piston in that movement which causes the toggle links to approach their straight-line setting, and when so engaged positively precludes further movement of the toggl links in the said direction.

An ironing press comprising the combination with a movable pressing head and a co-operating buck of an arm constituting a mounting for the movable head, a mounting for the co-opcrating buck, a fiuid-pressure-operated piston for operating the movable head, a toggle, a toggle anchorage, means connecting the piston to the junction of the toggle links and connecting the other ends of the toggle links respectively to the said pressing head arm and anchorage in such manner that the head and buck are brought together and the ironing pressure applied by the piston moving the links towards their straightline setting, means for varying the ironing pressure between the head and buck by varying the setting of one of said members in its mounting in relation to the other said member in the direction to vary the timing of the stalling of the piston pressure in relation to the movement of the toggle links towards their straight-line setting, a release valve controlling the fluid pressure on the piston, a valve-operating member controlling the release valve, which valve-operating member is so located as to be engaged by a part moving with the piston when the toggle links have reached a selected setting through which they must pass before reaching their straight-line setting, and a limit stop which is so located as to be engaged by a part moving with the piston in that movement which causes the toggle links to approach their straight-line setting, and when so engaged positively precludes further movement of th toggle links in the said direction, and which limit stop is also so located in relation to the said Valveoperating member as only to come into operation after the release valve has been operated to release the fluid pressure from the piston.

9. An ironing press comprising th combination with a movable pressing head and a co-operating buck of an arm constituting a mounting for the movable head, a mounting for the co-opcrating buck, a fiuid-pressure-operated piston for operating the movable head, a toggle, a toggle anchorage, means connecting the piston to the junction of the toggle links and connecting the other ends of the toggle links respectively to the said pressing head arm and anchorage in such manner that the head and buck are brought together and the ironing pressure applied by the piston moving the links towards their straightline setting, means for varyin the ironing pressure between the head and buck by varying the setting of one of said members in its mounting in relation to the other said member in the direction to vary the timing of the stalling of the piston pressure in relation to the movement of the toggle links towards their straight-line setting, a limit stop in the form of a bail, and means for hing'ing said bail on the press in such manner that it can be swung into and out of operative position in which it can be engaged by a part of the means connecting the piston to the buck arm, and that when so engaged it positively precludes the movable buck from approaching to within less than a predetermined distance from the cooperatin buck, for the purpose specified.

10. An ironing press comprising the combination with a movable pressing head and a co-operating buck of an arm constituting a mounting for the movable head, a mounting for the co-operating buck, a fiuid-pressure-operated piston for operating the movable head, a toggle, a toggle anchorage, means connecting the piston to the junction of the toggle links and connecting the other ends of the toggle links respectively to the said pressing head arm and anchorage in such manner that the head and buck are brought together and the ironing pressure applied by the piston moving the links towards their straightline setting, means for varying the ironing pressure between the head and buck by varying the setting of one of said members in its mounting in relation to the other said member in the direction to vary the timing of the stalling of the piston pressure in relation to the movement of the toggle links towards their straight-line setting, a release valve controlling the fluid pressure on the piston, a valve-operating member controlling the release valve, which valve-operating member is 'so located as to be engaged by a part of the means connecting the piston to the buck arm when the toggle links have reached a selected setting through which they must pass before reaching their straight line setting, a movable abutment, and means for mounting said abutment on the press in such manner that it can be readily brought into and out of operative position in which it can be engaged by a part of the means connecting the piston to the buck arm, and that when so engaged it positively precludes the movable buck from approaching to within less than a predetermined distance from the co-operating buck, which movable abutment is so arranged in relation to the valve-operating member that when the movable abutment is in operative position it operates before the valve-operating member can operate.

11. An ironing press comprising the combination with a movable pressing head and a co-opcrating buck of an arm constituting a mounting for the movable head, a mounting for the co-operating buck, a fluid-pressure-operated piston for operating the movable head, a toggle, a toggle anchorage, means connecting the piston to the junction of the toggle links and connecting the other ends of the toggle links respectively to the said pressing head arm and anchorage in such manner that the head and buck are brought together and the ironing pressure applied by the piston moving the links towards their straightline setting, means for varying the ironing pressure between the head and buck by varying the ill setting of one of said members in its mounting in relation to the other said member in the direction to vary the timing of the stalling of the piston pressure in relation to the movement of the toggle links towards their straight-line setting, a release valve controlling the fluid pressure on the piston, a valve-operating member controlling the release valve, which valve-operating member is so located as to be engaged by a part of the means connecting the piston to the buck arm when the toggle links have reached a selected setting through which they must pass before reaching their straight-line setting, a movable abutment, and means for mounting said abutment on the press in such manner that it can be readily brought into and out of operative position in which it can be engaged by a part of the means connecting the piston to the buck arm, and that when so engaged it positively precludes the movable buck from approaching to within less than a predetermined distance from the 00- operating buck, which movable abutment is so arranged in relation to the valve-operating member that when the movable abutment is in operative position it reaches into a masking position in front of the valve-operating member.

12. An ironing press comprising the combination with a movable pressing head and a co-opcrating buck of an arm constituting a mounting for the movable head, a mounting for the cooperating buck, a fluid-pressure-operated piston for operating the movable head, a toggle, a toggle anchorage, means connecting the piston to the junction of the toggle links and connecting the other ends of the toggle links respectively to the said pressing head arm and anchorage in such manner that the head and buck are brought together and the ironing pressure applied by the piston moving the links towards their straightline setting, means for varying the ironing pressure between the head and buck by varying the setting of one of said members in its mounting in relation to the other said member in the direction to vary the timing of the stalling of the piston pressure in relation to the movement of the toggle links towards their straight-line setting, a limit stop which is so located as to be engaged by a part of the means connecting the piston to the buck arm in that movement which causes the toggle links to approach their straightline setting, and when so engaged positively precludes further movement of the toggle links in the said direction, which limit stop during operation of the press normally remains in operative position, a movable abutment, and means for mounting said abutment on the press in such manner that it can be readily brought into and out of operative position in which it can be engaged by a part of the means connecting the piston to the buck arm, and that when so engaged it positively precludes the movable buck from approaching to within less than a predetermined distance from the co-operating buck, which movable abutment is so arranged in relation to the limit stop that when the movable abutment is in operative position it operates before the limit stop can operate.

13. An ironing press comprising the combination with. a movable pressing head and a co-opcrating buck of an arm constituting a mounting for the movable head, a mounting for the co-operating buck, a fluid-pressure-operated piston for operating the movable head, a toggle, a toggle anchorage, means connecting the piston to the junction of the toggle links and connecting the other ends of the toggle links respectively to the said pressing head arm and anchorage in such manner that the head and buck are brought together and the ironing pressure applied by the piston moving the links towards their straight-line setting, means for varying the ironing pressure between the head and buck by varying the setting of one of said members in its mounting in relation to the other said member in the direction to vary the timing of the stalling of the piston pressure in relation to the movement of the toggle links towards their straight-line setting, a limit stop which is so located as to be engaged by a part of the means connecting the piston to the buck arm in that movement which causes the toggle links to approach their straight-line setting, and when so engaged positively precludes further movement of the toggle links in the said direction, which limit stop during operation of the press normally remains in operative position, a movable abutment, and means for mounting said abutment on the press in such manner that it can be readily brought into and out of operative position in which it can be engaged by a part of the means connecting the piston to the buck arm, and that when so engaged it positively precludes the movable buck from approaching to within less than a predetermined distance from the co-operating buck, which movable abutment is so arranged in relation to the limit stop that when the movable abutment is in operative position it reaches into a masking position in front of the limit stop.

STEPHEN EVANS ALLEY. CHRISTOPHER STANLEY GARDNER. STEPHEN ERIC ALLEY. 

